Requesting offline profile data for online use in a privacy-sensitive manner

ABSTRACT

A method, performed using one or more servers under the control of an ISP, comprises: (a) receiving an electronic transmission from a requesting server of an IP address and a time and date; (b) automatically determining to which subscriber of the ISP the received IP address was allocated at the received time and date; and (c) automatically transmitting an electronic communication that causes delivery to the requesting server of offline data originating from an offline data provider. The delivered offline data concern the subscriber determined to have been allocated the received IP address at the received time and date. The communication does not convey to the offline data provider the subscriber&#39;s history of online activity, and the delivery does not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the subscriber.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/688,731,filed Jan. 15, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,890,609, which claims benefitof U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/144,969 filed Jan. 15, 2009in the name of Roy Shkedi, said provisional application being herebyincorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

When an online server computer (e.g., a server hosting an online site)is accessed by a user using a networked computer or other online userinterface device (e.g., by a user visiting the online site), thataccessed server often places (or causes to be placed) a cookie on theuser's computer to enable the online server to recognize that user'scomputer during subsequent access of the online server. The cookie mightinclude only an IP address, time, and date (IP/T/D) that corresponds tothe user's access, an additional or alternative cookie identifier, ormore detailed information pertaining to the user's access of the onlineserver. Instead of (or in addition to) including such additionalinformation in the cookie itself, the information can be stored by theonline server along with a reference to the cookie (by the IP/T/D or bya cookie identifier included in the cookie). Upon subsequent access ofthe online server by the user's computer, the server can recognize, byreading the cookie, the computer as having previously accessed theserver (with or without placing another cookie or modifying the existingcookie). The cookie placement and subsequent recognition of the cookieare typically performed automatically under the control of programmingcode on the online server.

Instead of, or in addition to, placing its own cookie on the user'scomputer, the accessed server can redirect the accessing user's computerto another online server (i.e., a so-called redirect server) that canplace a cookie on the user's computer or recognize a cookie that itplaced previously, thereby allowing the redirect server to recognize theuser's computer upon subsequent redirects. The redirect can includeinformation concerning the user's access of the redirecting server. Aredirect server can further redirect the user's computer to yet anotherredirect server; the term “redirect server” can denote any one of such asequence of redirect servers. The user typically is not directly awareof the redirect or cookie placement, which is typically performedautomatically under the control of programming code on the redirect oraccessed server, respectively. An example is a so-called “web beacon,”which is also known in the industry as a 1×1 pixel, web bug,single-pixel GIF, pixel tag, smart tag, action tag, clear GIF, tracer,1×1 GIF, or a cookie anchor. Such web beacons are often implemented as asingle-pixel image that can be inconspicuously located on a web page orin an email; the user's computer is redirected to a redirect server toretrieve the image, enabling the redirect server to receive the cookieidentifier from the accessed site or to place its own cookie on theuser's computer. In some instances the user's computer can be directedto a redirect server under the direction of programming code on theuser's computer (so-called adware).

In some instances, a redirecting server can send along its own cookieidentifier when redirecting the user's computer to another redirectserver. That allows the redirect server to associate its own cookieidentifier with the redirecting server cookie identifier in a process isknown as “cookie matching.” Upon a subsequent encounter between theuser's computer and the redirecting server, the redirecting server neednot redirect the user's computer to the redirect server. Instead, theredirecting server can directly transmit to the redirect server, alongwith the redirecting cookie identifier, newly gathered informationconcerning the user's computer. Because the redirect server previouslycookie-matched its own cookie identifier with the redirecting server'scookie identifier, the redirect server can associate the transmitted,newly gathered information with its own cookie identifier. Thatinformation can be used for targeting online advertising or can befurther aggregated or distributed to other servers. The cookie-matchedinformation transmitted from the redirecting server to the redirectserver can be transmitted on a per-user basis, or a file (e.g., a logfile) can be transmitted that includes such information for multipleusers. Cookie matching can reduce the number of redirects of a user'scomputer or by a redirecting server. Using its own cookie on the user'scomputer, the redirect server can also recognize the user's computerupon a subsequent encounter between the user's computer and the redirectserver.

The server directly accessed by the user, or any server to which theuser's computer was redirected, can use the cookies (and the informationincluded in or associated with them) to form a profile associated withthe user's computer that can in turn be used in a variety of ways. Basedon the profile, the accessed or redirect server can select or deliveronline advertising to the user via the user's computer, or can causeanother online server to select or deliver such advertising; eitherscenario shall be encompassed by the phrase “selecting or delivering” anadvertisement. The online advertising can be selected and deliveredimmediately, during the user's current online session, or can beselected and delivered later, during subsequent online sessions when thecookie placed on the user's computer is recognized by the accessedserver or the redirect server. Instead of (or in addition to) providingadvertising, the accessed or redirect server can collect user data fromother online servers, can distribute user data to other online servers,or can aggregate user data. Selecting or delivering online advertising,or collecting, aggregating, or distributing collected user data, istypically performed automatically under the control of programming codeon the relevant server.

Online advertising selected for delivery to the user can be generic, butit is typically preferable to deliver online advertising that istargeted at the user (or at least the user's computer). Targeting ofonline advertising based on online behavior can be done in a variety ofways. The directly accessed online server can select and deliver onlineadvertising to the user's computer based on the user's activity at anonline site, which activity is monitored by that server during thatonline session. For example, a server for an online travel site candeliver online ads for hotels or rental cars in a particular geographicarea during a session when a user searches for plane tickets to thatarea. The directly accessed online server can also (or instead) delivertargeted online ads during a current online session based on the user'sactivity at the server during a previous online session. For example, auser can purchase during a previous online session a particular moviefrom an online seller of music and video through that seller's onlineserver. During a subsequent online session when the user accesses themusic/video seller's server, that server can deliver an online ad forthe corresponding movie soundtrack or for other movies related to thepurchased one (by common actors, subject matter, purchases by othercustomers, and so on).

Targeted online advertisements can also (or instead) be selected ordelivered by a redirect server (with the redirect arising from theaccessed server or another redirect server). The two previous examplescan be implemented with a redirect server selecting or delivering thetargeted online ads during a user's online session at the redirectingaccessed online server. However, a typical redirect server can receiveredirects from a multitude of online servers, enabling the redirectserver to recognize online activity at multiple online sites served bycorresponding servers that can be associated with the same user computer(through recognition or updating of the redirect server's cookie at eachsubsequent redirect). The redirect server can therefore select ordeliver online advertising to a user during an online session at oneaccessed online server based on the user's online activity at anotheraccessed online server (during the same online session or during aprevious online session). Alternatively, the redirect server cancollect, aggregate, or distribute the online user data and pass the dataalong to another server that selects or delivers online advertising.There can be a sequence of any number of intermediate servers thatcollect, aggregate, and distribute online user data.

Various types of online entities operate redirect servers forfacilitating targeting and delivery of online advertising. Examples ofsuch online advertising entities include but are not limited to onlinead space sellers, online ad space buyers, online data aggregators,online data distributors, or entities acting as any combination ofthose. Such entities can operate servers that are directly accessed byusers as well as redirect servers.

Conventional methods for targeting online advertising based on onlinebehavior can be implemented without using personally identifiableinformation. Tracking of online activity and targeting the online adsbased on that activity can be accomplished using only cookies or staticIP addresses or adware, without knowledge of the identity of thecomputer user accessing the online servers (or without knowledge of theidentity of the subscriber whose online access device is used foraccessing the online servers). Accessed online servers typically do nothave access to personally identifiable information unless thatinformation is supplied by the user while interacting with an onlinesite controlled by the server, and operators of accessed online sitestypically are not permitted to convey that information to third partieswithout explicit consent of the user (i.e., without user opt-in). Aprovider of online access (i.e., an Internet service provider, a/k/a anISP) can track and record all online activity and associate thattracking information with the identity of a subscriber. However, currentpublic and industry policy generally prohibits such tracking of onlineactivity by ISP's, associating that activity with a particular user orsubscriber, or conveying such information to third parties withoutopt-in. Even if legal, privacy policies and business practices ofavoiding controversy counsel in favor of avoiding such tracking ofinformation that reveals or allows exposure of personally identifiableinformation.

It would be advantageous to target online advertising based not only ononline activity originating from the user's computer, but also on theuser's “offline” activities and characteristics (i.e., activities notperformed using access through a computer network, or characteristicsnot necessarily discernable by an online site). Such offlinecharacteristics and activities can include, but are not limited to,city/state/country of residence, home or automobile ownership,employment status, job description, marital or family status, incomelevel, products purchased offline (phone order, mail order, orin-store), credit score, memberships, political or religiousaffiliations, or other demographic or behavioral information about asubscriber. Data of those sorts are referred to herein as “offline data”to contrast with “online data” arising from a user's online activity.Vast amounts of offline data, for example, are already amassed, for amajority of consumers in the U.S., by credit-reporting bureaus such asExperian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Retailers also collect and maintainoffline databases concerning their customers and those customers'shopping histories. Organizations collect and maintain databases ofmembers, supporters, or contributors. All such collectors or owners ofoffline data are referred to herein as “offline data providers.” Offlinedata is conventionally used to target print, mail, and phone advertisingto consumers (i.e., “offline advertising”). By its very nature, suchoffline data includes personally identifiable information, because acommon intended use is to target offline advertising, which must bedirected to a particular person's mailing address or phone number.Examples of personally identifiable information include, but are notlimited to, name, date of birth, residence address, phone number, emailaddress, financial account numbers, government-issued identifiers (e.g.,Social Security number or driver's license number), vehicle registrationor license plate number, facial images, fingerprints, retinal scan,other biometric information, signature or other handwriting samples, orother information that can be tied to a specific individual.

Online distribution of personally identifiable information currently islimited to so-called opt-in arrangements, in which a user accessing anonline site must explicitly give permission for the site to distributethe user's personally identifiable information to other entities.Merging of PII with previously collected online tracking or behavioraldata is also typically limited to user opt-in arrangements. A weaknessof such opt-in scenarios is their limited scale (i.e., limited coverageor penetration), because many users decline to opt in (because they donot want their identifiable information distributed). In contrast,targeting of online advertising using only information or data that isnot personally identifiable can be done on an “opt-out” basis, in whichuser information can be used to target the online advertising unless theuser explicitly refuses permission for the online site to use theinformation. Such opt-out scenarios are more valuable commercially,because a substantially larger fraction of users (as compared to thosewho will affirmatively opt in) will decline to opt out, thereby allowingthe use of information that is not personally identifiable. The abilityto opt out can be made explicitly available by an accessed or redirectserver, as is done currently by major online site operators and onlineadvertising companies through a voluntary industry initiative. A user,by deleting or disabling cookies on the computer, can effectivelyprevent or at least limit targeting of ads based on data collected bythe online entities that placed the cookies.

DESCRIPTION

To enable targeting of online advertisements based on offline datawithout impermissible or undesirable association of online activity withpersonally identifiable information (i.e., in an opt-out arrangement), amethod can be performed using one or more servers under the control ofan ISP, wherein: (a) one or more of the servers receive from arequesting server an electronic transmission of an IP address and a timeand date; (b) one or more of the servers automatically determine towhich subscriber of the ISP the received IP address was allocated at thereceived time and date; and (c) the ISP automatically transmits anelectronic communication that causes delivery to the requesting serverof offline data originating from an offline data provider. The deliveredoffline data concern the subscriber determined to have been allocatedthe received IP address at the received time and date.

In a preferred method, the subscriber's privacy is maintained at severalstages. In step (a), the electronic transmission received by the ISPserver includes only an identification of the subscriber's computer oraccess device that was used to access a requesting online server (e.g.,a server of an online site accessed by the subscriber) or that wasredirected to a requesting redirect server. Such identification includesat least the IP/T/D for the access or redirect, and it can also includea further identifier such as a cookie identifier. The transmission tothe ISP server can comprise a transmission from the requesting server,or can comprise a redirect of the subscriber's computer to the ISPserver. No information concerning the subscriber's history of onlineactivity needs to be transmitted to the ISP server or to the offlinedata provider.

In step (b), the ISP server can automatically search its own log filesto determine to which of its subscribers the specified IP address wasallocated at the specified time and date. The ISP need not probe furtherto determine what online activity was performed using that IP address(and is currently prohibited by industry and public policy from doing sowithout opt-in by the subscriber). Arranging transmission of offlinedata in part (c) by the ISP can include transmission to the offline dataprovider of the subscriber's name (and perhaps the subscriber's address,phone number, or other confirmatory information), but does not includetransmission to the offline data provider of information concerning thehistory of online activity via the online access provided to thesubscriber by the ISP.

The offline data provider can transmit offline data pertaining to thesubscriber (determined by the ISP to have been allocated the received IPaddress), as is permitted by current law and policy. Offline data thatis transmitted to a requesting online server preferably does not includepersonally identifiable information. The offline data can beelectronically transmitted directly to the requesting server (i.e.,without being transmitted by the ISP) or can be electronicallytransmitted to an ISP server that in turn electronically transmits theoffline data to the requesting server. Personally identifiableinformation can be stripped by the offline data provider (or notincluded in the first place) or stripped by the ISP server (ifretransmitted). The transmitted offline data (free of personallyidentifiable information) is identified to the requesting online serverby the IP/T/D that was included in the transmission in step (a) or by acorresponding identifier (as described below). The requesting onlineserver is therefore provided with access to some of the subscriber'soffline data, such as to enable better targeting of onlineadvertisements to the subscriber, who nevertheless remains anonymous tothe requesting online site (i.e., not personally identifiable).

A goal of the method is to couple offline data concerning a computeruser (e.g., an ISP subscriber) with a particular computer used to accessan online site, without compromising the privacy of the computer user(e.g., without linking the user's personal identity to the user'shistory of online activity, such as the user's online browsing history).The server hosting an accessed online site identifies a computer and itsonline activity, but not the user (unless, of course, the user suppliesthe online site with his or her identity in an opt-in arrangement). Theoffline data provider can provide offline data concerning a personallyidentified user but has no information concerning the user's history ofonline activity. The ISP has access to the user's IP address at anygiven time and the user's personal identity, and uses only thatinformation to enable transmission of the user's offline data (theportion that is not personally identifiable) to be linked by therequesting server to the user's history of online activity, withoutcompromising the user's privacy or personal identity. No single one ofthose entities has in its possession the user's personal identity, theuser's online access or computer identifier, the user's history ofonline activity, and the user's offline data. Although it is true thatthe ISP could gain access to all of that information (including theuser's history of online activity) if the ISP were to collect detailedinformation concerning the user's online activity, such is currentlyprohibited by industry and public policy in the absence of user opt-in.

After receiving an IP/T/D, there are a number of ways that the ISP canarrange transmission of the offline data from the offline data providerto a requesting server. First, the ISP can receive the offline data fromthe offline data provider (ahead of time or in response to receiving theIP/T/D) and then transmit the offline data to the requesting server(without personally identifying the subscriber to the requestingserver). The offline data provider need not be provided with any onlineidentifier or IP address for the subscriber. The offline data receivedby the ISP from the offline data provider typically includes personallyidentifiable information (e.g., the subscriber's name), and in fact theISP already has personally identifiable information. However, typicallyno personally identifiable information is transmitted to the requestingonline server (unless perhaps the subscriber has opted-in to provide theinformation to the requesting server). The transmission of the offlinedata to the requesting server can occur automatically in response toreceiving the IP/T/D or a subsequent transmission of offline data fromthe offline data provider. Subsequent transmission of offline data fromthe offline data provider (i.e., after the ISP receives the IP/T/D) canoccur in response to a transmission from the ISP to the offline dataprovider that personally identifies the subscriber. That transmissioncan further include a request for the offline data, or the offline datacan be transmitted by the offline data provider in accordance with aprearrangement between the ISP and the offline data provider (e.g., theoffline data provider transmits offline data to the ISP upon receivingthe name of a subscriber transmitted by the ISP, without a specificrequest for that data being included in the transmission).

Second, the offline data can be transmitted by the offline data providerto the requesting server without transmission by the ISP. Thetransmission by the offline data provider can occur automatically inresponse to a transmission from the ISP to the offline data providerthat personally identifies the subscriber, and can include or beassociated with instructions to transmit the offline data to therequesting server. The instructions can comprise a prearrangementbetween the ISP and the offline data provider (e.g., the offline dataprovider transmits offline data to the requesting server upon receivingthe name of a subscriber transmitted by the ISP, without a specificrequest for that data being included in the transmission). Thetransmission can further include an identifier of the requesting serverto enable the offline data provider to transmit the offline data to thecorrect one of multiple requesting servers.

The offline data should be recognizable by both the requesting serverand the offline data provider as concerning the same subscriber, butwithout revealing personally identifiable information to the requestingserver or revealing online activity to the offline data provider. One ormore identifiers associated with the offline data can be employed toachieve that mutual recognition. In one example, an online identifier inaddition to the IP/T/D (e.g., a cookie identifier) can be generated bythe requesting server and transmitted to the ISP along with the IP/T/D.That additional identifier can be transmitted from the ISP to theoffline data provider (without the IP/T/D) and then included in orassociated with a transmission of the offline data from the offline dataprovider to the requesting server. In another example, an identifierthat does not include personally identifiable information (i.e., anoffline data identifier) can be transmitted by the ISP to the requestingserver. That identifier can be generated by the ISP and transmitted tothe offline data provider, or generated by and received from the offlinedata provider. The offline data identifier can then be included in orassociated with a transmission of the offline data from the offline dataprovider to the requesting server.

Other examples of offline data transmission from the offline dataprovider to the requesting server can include the IP/T/D being providedto the offline data provider, and may therefore require subscriberopt-in. In one such example, the IP/T/D transmitted by the requestingserver can be transmitted to the offline data provider; the IP/T/D canthen be included in or associated with a transmission of the offlinedata from the offline data provider to the requesting server. In anothersuch example, the ISP requests offline data and the requesting serverredirects the subscriber computer to a server of the offline dataprovider to provide access to offline data that is not personallyidentifiable. Such a redirect effectively provides the subscriber IPaddress to the offline data provider.

Acquisition of offline data about its subscribers can be performed bythe ISP in response to requests received (e.g., received IP/T/D) fromonline servers or redirect servers. Alternatively, the ISP can acquireoffline data about its subscribers ahead of time from the offline dataprovider. The ISP can store a database of such offline data and transmitportions of that database (without personally identifying thesubscribers) in response to requests from online or redirect servers.The offline data can be updated periodically or intermittently bysubsequent acquisition from the offline data provider.

The requesting server can use the offline data in a variety of ways. Itcan use the data to target online advertising to the correspondingsubscriber during the subscriber's current online session or during afuture online session. The requesting server can further distribute theoffline data (without personally identifiable information) to otheronline servers, typically via a redirect of the subscriber's computer.The other online servers can use the offline data for targeting onlineadvertising. In addition, the requesting server or the other onlineservers can use the offline data for targeting television advertisingaccording to the teachings of application Ser. No. 11/736,544 filed Apr.17, 2007, application Ser. No. 11/968,117 filed Dec. 31, 2007, and Ser.No. 12/257,386 filed Oct. 23, 2008, each of which is hereby incorporatedby reference as if fully set forth herein.

The disclosed methods can include any suitable or desired flow ofadvertising revenue. Examples include but are not limited to (i) paymentby an entity controlling the requesting server to the ISP or to theoffline data provider in return for the offline data; (ii) receipt bythat entity of revenue from other online advertising entities in returnfor distributing the offline data; (iii) payment by the ISP to theoffline data provider in return for the offline data; or (iv) payment bythe offline provider to the ISP in return for identifying the ISP'ssubscribers to the offline data provider or distributing the offlinedata to online advertising entities.

In some circumstances it may be considered desirable for the ISP toavoid, or to be denied, access to the user's offline data that isretransmitted by the ISP. If that is desired, an encoding or encryptionscheme can be developed and employed by the requesting online site andthe offline data provider for transmitting those portions of the offlinedata that are not personally identifiable to the requesting online sitevia the ISP. The ISP is not given a key for decoding or decrypting thatportion of the offline data, and so it does not have access to the dataas it is relayed by the ISP. Any suitable encoding or encryptionprotocol can be employed.

Any individual step in the method, independent of the others, can beperformed (i) for each individual online access user about whom offlinedata is desired (e.g., by redirecting each user's computer); (ii) formultiple online access users once an accessed or redirect online sitehas accumulated a predetermined number of users about whom offline datais desired (e.g., every 50 users or every 1000 users, such as bytransmitting a log file); or (iii) for multiple online access usersabout whom offline data is desired once a predetermined period of timehas passed (e.g., every two hours or every 24 hours, such as bytransmitting a log file).

Any of the various transmissions of requests or data can be achieved inany suitable way, independent of the others, including but not limitedto digital transmission via a computer network or phone (wired orwireless), digital transmission via recordable media (e.g., magnetic oroptical discs, magnetic tape, solid state media), analog transmission(wired or wireless), or transmission by any suitable delivery method ofprinted hard copies. It is preferred to use automated electronic datatransmission controlled by suitably programmed computers, servers, orother machines. For example, logging of the allocation of IP addressesby the ISP is typically done using one or more computers or serversprogrammed for that purpose.

The IP address used in the disclosed methods can be static or dynamic(e.g., assigned using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol a/k/aDHCP). The IP address can be associated with a specific computer orother online user interface, or the IP address can be associated with amodem, router, or other online access device so that multiple onlineuser interface devices might share a common IP address when accessingonline sites. The IP address can be a 32-bit IP address assignedaccording to the IPv4 protocol, a 128-bit address assigned according tothe IPv6 protocol, or any other suitable address assigned under afuture-developed protocol.

The online user interface device can comprise any user interface deviceused to access a remote network such as the Internet, including but notlimited to a cell phone or mobile handset, a personal digital assistant(PDA), or a networked computer (desktop, workstation, notebook, laptop,or other). Use of the phrases “user's computer” or “subscriber'scomputer” is intended to indicate a networked computer or any othersuitable online user interface device.

The online access device can comprise any device used to connect anonline user interface device to a remote network such as the Internet,including but not limited to a modem, a wired or wireless router, awireless access point, a wired network adapter (e.g., Ethernet adapter),a wireless network adapter (e.g., IEEE 802.11, Wi-Fi, WiMax, ED-VO,EDGE, HSPA, CDMA, GSM, or other), or an optical fiber based networkadapter (e.g., a network interface unit or optical network terminal).Different types of online access devices can be, and sometimes are,combined into a single unit (e.g., a modem that also functions as arouter for a LAN). An online user interface device and an online accessdevice can be, and sometimes are, combined into a single unit (e.g., acomputer with a built-in Ethernet adapter, wireless adapter, or modem).

A subscriber is a user who has established online access through anarrangement with an ISP, usually in return for a periodic subscriptionfee. The ISP has personally identifiable information for its subscribersthat typically includes at least a name, billing address, and serviceaddress for the online access (unless the access is mobile), and canalso include a phone number, email address, and bank or credit cardinformation. The offline data transmitted by the offline data providerincludes data pertaining to at least the subscriber. However, becausemultiple people might live in a common household or work in a commonbusiness establishment, the offline data provider can include in itstransmission to the requesting online server offline data (notpersonally identifiable) that pertains to people other than thesubscriber. For example, the offline data can include information aboutthe number or ages of children in a household, or information about aspouse or parent in the household. In another example, the offline datacan include information about a business or its employees if thesubscriber is a business or a business owner.

The systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented as generalor special purpose computers or servers or other programmable hardwaredevices programmed through software, or as hardware or equipment“programmed” through hard wiring, or a combination of the two. A“computer” or “server” can comprise a single machine or can comprisemultiple interacting machines (located at a single location or atmultiple remote locations). Computer programs or other software code, ifused, can be implemented in temporary or permanent storage or inreplaceable media, such as by including programming in microcode,object-oriented code, network-based or web-based or distributed softwaremodules that operate together, RAM, ROM, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-R/W, DVD-ROM,DVD±R, DVD±R/W, hard drives, thumb drives, flash memory, optical media,magnetic media, semiconductor media, or any future storage alternatives.

It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed exemplary embodimentsand methods shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure orappended claims. It is intended that the disclosed exemplary embodimentsand methods, and equivalents thereof, may be modified while remainingwithin the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, theconjunction “or” is to be construed inclusively (e.g., “a dog or a cat”would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or both”; e.g., “a dog, a cat,or a mouse” would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or anytwo, or all three”), unless: (i) it is explicitly stated otherwise,e.g., by use of “either . . . or”, “only one of . . . ”, or similarlanguage; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutuallyexclusive within the particular context, in which case “or” wouldencompass only those combinations involving non-mutually-exclusivealternatives. For purposes of the present disclosure or appended claims,the words “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and variants thereofshall be construed as open ended terminology, with the same meaning asif the phrase “at least” were appended after each instance thereof.

1. A method performed using one or more computers, wherein the one ormore computers has access to electronic data containing personalidentities of users of respective online user interface devices, andwherein an entity controlling the one or more computers has access tocertain online activity performed using the online user interface devicethrough an Internet connection, the method comprising: (a) receiving atone or more of the computers from a requesting server an electronictransmission of an IP address and a time and date; (b) automaticallydetermining, using one or more of the computers, to which of the usersthe IP address received in part (a) was associated at the time and datereceived in part (a); and (c) automatically transmitting from one ormore of the computers an electronic communication that causes deliveryto the requesting server of offline data originating from an offlinedata provider, which offline data concern the user determined in part(b), which communication does not convey to the offline data providerinformation pertaining to a history of the online activity to which theentity has access, which online activity is performed by the userdetermined in part (b), and which delivery and which offline data do notconvey to the requesting server a personal identity of the userdetermined in part (b).
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the acts ofparts (b) and (c) are performed without associating the history ofonline activity with a personal identity of the user determined in part(b).
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting fromone or more of the computers the electronic communication, in part (c),comprises automatically electronically directing to the requestingserver the offline data originating from the offline data provider,which offline data concerns the user determined in part (b).
 4. Themethod of claim 3 wherein automatically transmitting from one or more ofthe computers the electronic communication, in part (c), comprisesautomatically electronically directing to the requesting server theoffline data that were received from the offline data provider beforethe IP address, time, and date were received in part (a).
 5. The methodof claim 1 wherein automatically transmitting from one or more of thecomputers the electronic communication, in part (c), comprisesautomatically electronically directing to the offline data providerinformation personally identifying the user determined in part (b). 6.The method of claim 5: (i) wherein automatically electronicallydirecting to the offline data provider the information personallyidentifying the user determined in part (b) results in receipt by one ormore of the computers of the offline data concerning the user determinedin part (b); and (ii) wherein the delivery caused in part (c) comprisestransmitting to the requesting server the offline data received from theoffline data provider.
 7. The method of claim 5 wherein automaticallyelectronically directing to the offline data provider the informationpersonally identifying the user determined in part (b) results in theoffline data provider transmitting to the requesting server the offlinedata concerning the user determined in part (b), the identity of whichrequesting server has been prearranged.
 8. The method of claim 5 whereinautomatically electronically directing to the offline data provider theinformation personally identifying the user determined in part (b)results in the offline data provider transmitting to the requestingserver the offline data concerning the user determined in part (b). 9.The method of claim 8 wherein automatically transmitting from one ormore of the computers the electronic communication, in part (c), furthercomprises automatically electronically directing to the offline dataprovider information identifying the requesting server.
 10. The methodof claim 8 further comprising: (i) receiving from the requesting serveran online identifier corresponding to the received IP address, time, anddate of part (a); and (ii) transmitting from one or more of thecomputers to the offline data provider the online data identifier inassociation with the information personally identifying the userdetermined in part (b).
 11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:(i) receiving from the offline data provider an offline data identifierthat corresponds to the user determined in part (b), which offline dataidentifier does not personally identify that user; and (ii) transmittingfrom one or more of the computers to the requesting server the offlinedata identifier in association with the received IP address, time, anddate of part (a).
 12. The method of claim 8 further comprising: (i)generating, using one or more of the computers, an offline dataidentifier that corresponds to the user determined in part (b), whichoffline data identifier does not personally identify that user; (ii)transmitting the generated offline data identifier from one or more ofthe computers to the requesting server in association with the receivedIP address, time, and date of part (a); and (iii) transmitting thegenerated offline data identifier from one or more of the computers tothe offline data provider in association with the information personallyidentifying the user determined in part (b).
 13. The method of claim 1wherein the IP address, time, and date of part (a) are received from therequesting server.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP address,time, and date of part (a) correspond to online access or an onlineredirect to the requesting server via an online access device of theuser determined in part (b).
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the IPaddress received from the requesting server is associated with theonline user interface device of the user and at least one other onlineuser interface device of the user.
 16. A system comprising one or morecomputers, wherein the one or more computers has access to electronicdata containing personal identities of users of respective online userinterface devices, and wherein an entity controlling the one or morecomputers has access to certain online activity performed using theonline user interface device through an Internet connection, wherein theone or more servers are structured and connected to: (a) receive at oneor more of the computers from a requesting server an electronictransmission of an IP address and a time and date; (b) determineautomatically, using one or more of the computers, to which of the usersthe IP address received in part (a) was associated at the time and datereceived in part (a); and (c) transmit automatically from one or more ofthe computers an electronic communication that causes delivery to therequesting server of offline data originating from an offline dataprovider, which offline data concern the user determined in part (b),which communication does not convey to the offline data providerinformation pertaining to a history of the online activity to which theentity has access, which online activity is performed by the userdetermined in part (b), and which delivery and which offline data do notconvey to the requesting server a personal identity of the userdetermined in part (b).
 17. The system of claim 16 wherein one or moreof the computers is further structured and connected so that the acts ofparts (b) and (c) are performed without associating the history ofonline activity with a personal identity of the user determined in part(b).
 18. The system of claim 16 wherein one or more of the computers isfurther structured and connected so that automatically transmitting fromone or more of the computers the electronic communication, in part (c),comprises automatically electronically directing to the requestingserver the offline data originating from the offline data provider,which offline data concerns the user determined in part (b).
 19. Thesystem of claim 18 wherein one or more of the computers is furtherstructured and connected so that automatically transmitting from one ormore of the computers the electronic communication, in part (c),comprises automatically electronically directing to the requestingserver the offline data that were received from the offline dataprovider before the IP address, time, and date were received in part(a).
 20. The system of claim 16 wherein one or more of the computers isfurther structured and connected so that automatically transmitting fromone or more of the computers the electronic communication, in part (c),comprises automatically electronically directing to the offline dataprovider information personally identifying the user determined in part(b).
 21. The system of claim 20 wherein one or more of the computers isfurther structured and connected so that (i) automaticallyelectronically directing to the offline data provider the informationpersonally identifying the user determined in part (b) results inreceipt by one or more of the computers of the offline data concerningthe user determined in part (b); and (ii) the delivery caused in part(c) comprises transmitting to the requesting server the offline datareceived from the offline data provider.
 22. The system of claim 20wherein one or more of the computers is further structured and connectedso that automatically electronically directing to the offline dataprovider the information personally identifying the user determined inpart (b) results in the offline data provider transmitting to therequesting server the offline data concerning the user determined inpart (b), the identity of which requesting server has been prearranged.23. The system of claim 20 wherein one or more of the computers isfurther structured and connected so that automatically electronicallydirecting to the offline data provider the information personallyidentifying the user determined in part (b) results in the offline dataprovider transmitting to the requesting server the offline dataconcerning the user determined in part (b).
 24. The system of claim 23wherein one or more of the computers is further structured and connectedso that automatically transmitting from one or more of the computers theelectronic communication, in part (c), further comprises automaticallyelectronically directing to the offline data provider informationidentifying the requesting server.
 25. The system of claim 23 whereinone or more of the computers is further structured and connected (i) toreceive from the requesting server an online identifier corresponding tothe received IP address, time, and date of part (a); and (ii) totransmit from one or more of the computers to the offline data providerthe online data identifier in association with the informationpersonally identifying the user determined in part (b).
 26. The systemof claim 23 wherein one or more of the computers is further structuredand connected (i) to receive from the offline data provider an offlinedata identifier that corresponds to the user determined in part (b),which offline data identifier does not personally identify that user;and (ii) to transmit from one or more of the computers to the requestingserver the offline data identifier in association with the received IPaddress, time, and date of part (a).
 27. The system of claim 23 whereinone or more of the computers is further structured and connected to (i)generate, using one or more of the computers, an offline data identifierthat corresponds to the user determined in part (b), which offline dataidentifier does not personally identify that user; (ii) transmit thegenerated offline data identifier from one or more of the computers tothe requesting server in association with the received IP address, time,and date of part (a); and (iii) transmit the generated offline dataidentifier from one or more of the computers to the offline dataprovider in association with the information personally identifying theuser determined in part (b).
 28. The system of claim 16 wherein one ormore of the computers is further structured and connected to receive theIP address, time, and date from the requesting server.
 29. The system ofclaim 16 wherein the IP address, time, and date received in part (a)correspond to online access or an online redirect to the requestingserver via an online access device of the user determined in part (b).30. The system of claim 16 wherein the IP address received from therequesting server is associated with the online user interface device ofthe user and at least one other online user interface device of theuser.
 31. An article comprising a non-transitory tangible mediumencoding computer-readable instructions that, when applied to one ormore computers, wherein the one or more computers has access toelectronic data containing personal identities of users of respectiveonline user interface devices, and wherein an entity controlling the oneor more computers has access to certain online activity performed usingthe online user interface device through an Internet connection, thecomputer-readable instructions instruct one or more of the computers to:(a) receive at one or more of the computers from a requesting server anelectronic transmission of an IP address and a time and date; (b)determine automatically, using one or more of the computers, to which ofthe users the IP address received in part (a) was associated at the timeand date received in part (a); and (c) transmit automatically from oneor more of the computers an electronic communication that causesdelivery to the requesting server of offline data originating from anoffline data provider, which offline data concern the user determined inpart (b), which communication does not convey to the offline dataprovider information pertaining to a history of the online activity towhich the entity has access, which online activity is performed by theuser determined in part (b), and which delivery and which offline datado not convey to the requesting server a personal identity of the userdetermined in part (b).
 32. The medium of claim 31 wherein the encodedinstructions do not include instructions to one or more of the computersto perform the acts of parts (b) and (c) by associating the history ofonline activity with a personal identity of the user determined in part(b).
 33. The medium of claim 31 wherein the encoded instructions furtherinstruct one or more of the computers so that automatically transmittingfrom one or more of the computers the electronic communication, in part(c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the requestingserver the offline data originating from the offline data provider,which offline data concerns the user determined in part (b).
 34. Themedium of claim 33 wherein the encoded instructions further instruct oneor more of the computers so that automatically transmitting from one ormore of the computers the electronic communication, in part (c),comprises automatically electronically directing to the requestingserver the offline data that were received from the offline dataprovider before the IP address, time, and date were received in part(a).
 35. The medium of claim 31 wherein the encoded instructions furtherinstruct one or more of the computers so that automatically transmittingfrom one or more of the computers the electronic communication, in part(c), comprises automatically electronically directing to the offlinedata provider information personally identifying the user determined inpart (b).
 36. The medium of claim 35 wherein the encoded instructionsfurther instruct one or more of the computers so that (i) automaticallyelectronically directing to the offline data provider the informationpersonally identifying the user determined in part (b) results inreceipt by one or more of the computers of the offline data concerningthe user determined in part (b); and (ii) the delivery in part (c)comprises transmitting to the requesting server the offline datareceived from the offline data provider.
 37. The medium of claim 35wherein the encoded instructions further instruct one or more of thecomputers so that automatically electronically directing to the offlinedata provider the information personally identifying the user determinedin part (b) results in the offline data provider transmitting to therequesting server the offline data concerning the user determined inpart (b), the identity of which requesting server has been prearranged.38. The medium of claim 35 wherein the encoded instructions furtherinstruct one or more of the computers so that automaticallyelectronically directing to the offline data provider the informationpersonally identifying the user determined in part (b) results in theoffline data provider transmitting to the requesting server the offlinedata concerning the user determined in part (b).
 39. The medium of claim38 wherein the encoded instructions further instruct one or more of thecomputers so that automatically transmitting from one or more of thecomputers the electronic communication, in part (c), further comprisesautomatically electronically directing to the offline data providerinformation identifying the requesting server.
 40. The medium of claim38 wherein the encoded instructions further instruct one or more of thecomputers (i) to receive from the requesting server an online identifiercorresponding to the received IP address, time, and date of part (a);and (ii) to transmit from one or more of the computers to the offlinedata provider the online data identifier in association with theinformation personally identifying the user determined in part (b). 41.The medium of claim 38 wherein the encoded instructions further instructone or more of the computers (i) to receive from the offline dataprovider an offline data identifier that corresponds to the userdetermined in part (b), which offline data identifier does notpersonally identify that user; and (ii) transmitting from one or more ofthe computers to the requesting server the offline data identifier inassociation with the received IP address, time, and date of part (a).42. The medium of claim 38 wherein the encoded instructions furtherinstruct one or more of the computers to (i) generate, using one or moreof the computers, an offline data identifier that corresponds to theuser determined in part (b), which offline data identifier does notpersonally identify that user; (ii) transmit the generated offline dataidentifier from one or more of the computers to the requesting server inassociation with the received IP address, time, and date of part (a);and (iii) transmit the generated offline data identifier from one ormore of the computers to the offline data provider in association withthe information personally identifying the user determined in part (b).43. The medium of claim 31 wherein the encoded instructions furtherinstruct one or more of the computers to receive the IP address, time,and date from the requesting server.
 44. The medium of claim 31 whereinthe IP address, time, and date received in part (a) correspond to onlineaccess or an online redirect to the requesting server via an onlineaccess device of the user determined in part (b).
 45. The medium ofclaim 31 wherein the IP address received from the requesting server isassociated with the online user interface device of the user and atleast one other online user interface device of the user.
 46. A methodperformed using one or more computers, comprising: (a) automaticallyelectronically transmitting an IP address and a time and date, whereinthe IP address and time and date correspond to an online action of afirst user, to a computer having access to electronical data containingthe personal identities of users of respective online user interfacedevices, and wherein an entity controlling the computer to which the IPaddress and time and date are transmitted has access to certain onlineactivity performed using the respective online user interface devicesthrough respective Internet connections; and (b) receiving an electronictransmission of offline data concerning the first user, wherein theoffline data originate from an offline data provider that lacksinformation pertaining to a history of the online activity to which theentity has access, which online activity is performed by the first user,and wherein the received electronic transmission and the offline data donot convey a personal identity of the first user.
 47. A method performedusing one or more computers under control of an offline data provider,comprising: (a) receiving an electronic communication that includesinformation personally identifying a first user, wherein thecommunication is received from a server having access to electronic datacontaining personal identities of users of respective online userinterface devices, wherein the server is controlled by an entity thathas access to certain online activity performed using the online userinterface devices through respective Internet connections, wherein thereceived communication does not convey information pertaining to ahistory of online activity to which the entity has access, which onlineactivity is performed by the first user; and (b) in response to part(a), automatically electronically transmitting to a requesting server(i) offline data concerning the first user and (ii) an identifierassociated by the requesting server with an online user interface deviceused by the first user to conduct an online action on a certain time anddate via an IP address associated with the first user, wherein theoffline data and the identifier do not convey to the requesting server apersonal identity of the first user.